This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.Motor neuron diseases took their voices. AI is bringing them back.Jules Rodriguez lost his voice in October of last year. His speech had been deteriorating since a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2020, but a tracheostomy to help him breathe dealt the final blow.Rodriguez and his wife, Maria Fernandez, who live in Miami, thought they would never hear his voice again. Then they re-created it using AI. After feeding old recordings of Rodriguezs voice into a tool trained on voices from film, television, radio, and podcasts, the couple were able to generate a voice clonea way for Jules to communicate in his old voice.Rodriguez is one of over a thousand people with speech difficulties who have cloned their voices using free software from ElevenLabs. The AI voice clones arent perfect. But they represent a vast improvement on previous communication technologies and are already improving the lives of people with motor neuron diseases.Read the full story.Jessica HamzelouThe AI relationship revolution is already hereAI is everywhere, and its starting to alter our relationships in new and unexpected waysrelationships with our spouses, kids, colleagues, friends, and even ourselves. Although the technology remains unpredictable and sometimes baffling, individuals from all across the world and from all walks of life are finding it useful, supportive, and comforting, too.People are using large language models to seek validation, mediate marital arguments, and help navigate interactions with their community. Theyre using it for support in parenting, for self-care, and even to fall in love. In the coming decades, many more humans will join them. And this is only the beginning. What happens next is up to us.Read the full story.Rhiannon WilliamsThis subscriber-only story is the next edition of our print magazine, which is all about relationships.Subscribe nowto get a copy when it lands on February 26!What a major battery fire means for the future of energy storageA few weeks ago, a fire broke out at the Moss Landing Power Plant in California, the worlds largest collection of batteries on the grid. Although the flames were extinguished in a few days, the metaphorical smoke is still clearing. Residents have reported health issues, and pollutants have been found in the water and ground nearby. A lawsuit has been filed.In the wake of high-profile fires like Moss Landing, there are understandable concerns about battery safety. At the same time, as more wind, solar power, and other variable electricity sources come online, large energy storage installations will be even more crucial for the grid.Read our storyto catch up on what happened in this fire, what the lingering concerns are, and what comes next for the energy storage industry.Casey CrownhartThis story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter explaining the tech solving the climate crisis.Sign upto receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 Inside Elon Musks AI coupIf you think government run by AI sounds dystopian, youd be right. (New Yorker$)+Can AI help DOGE slash government budgets? Its complex.(MIT Technology Review)+Musk says DOGE is being transparent. That couldnt be further from the truth.(Gizmodo)2 OpenAI is loosening restrictions on what its bots can sayIts nudging the balance away from safety, and towards intellectual freedom. (The Verge)+Musks lawyers say hell withdraw his $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI if it drops plans to become a for-profit company. (Reuters$)3 Dating apps leave people in the dark over dangerous usersMatch Group seems to do shockingly little in response to reports of rape. (The Guardian)4 Apple is reportedly exploring humanoid robotsBut its still very early days, so I wouldnt like to bet on anything coming to fruition just yet. (TechCrunch)+Heres whats next for robots.(MIT Technology Review)5 Efficiency is the new frontier for AIDeepSeek claims to have built a model for $6 million. Another team says theyve done it for just $6. (The Economist$)+Chinas EV companies are racing to add DeepSeeks AI to their cars.(Business Insider$)+Chinas smartphone makers are rushing to adopt it too.(South China Morning Post$)6 Apple just launched a giant health studyIt will analyze how data from its devices can monitor, manage and predict changes in users health. (CNBC)7 Inside the radically unambitious return of Pebble smartwatchesIts kinda telling that building devices that can last for years is so unusual. (Fast Company$)8 Syria just hosted its first international tech conference in 50 yearsHope abounds as the country starts to rebuild after a 13-year-old civil war. (Rest of World)9 The guy who threw away $775 million in Bitcoin wants to buy the garbage dumpHes never going to give up, is he. (Quartz$)10 Google is going to get AI to guess how old you are for age verificationI fear itd take one look at my tastes and add on a few decades. (The Verge)Quote of the dayThe AI summaries of questions on Ask are terrible. Can we go back to answering the questions people actually asked?Google employees bemoan the use of AI to compile their various questions into a single one during all-staff meetings,The Guardianreports.The big storyWhatever happened to DNA computing?DON BARTLETTI/LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGESOctober 2021For more than five decades, engineers have shrunk silicon-based transistors over and over again, creating progressively smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient computers in the process. But the long technological winning streakand the miniaturization that has enabled it cant last forever.What could this successor technology be? There has been no shortage of alternative computing approaches proposed over the last 50 years. Here are five of the more memorable ones.Read about five of the most memorable ones.Lakshmi ChandrasekaranWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet em at me.)+ Monty is sucha good boythat hes been crowned best dog in America.+ A shortcut recipe for chicken rice?Im going to have to try it out.+ If youve got a tight neck and shoulders, a quick hit of relief is justten minutes away.+ To make lasting changes to your life, motivationhas to come from within.

An entertainment revolution, powered by AI and other emerging technologies, is fundamentally changing how content is created and consumed today. Media and entertainment (M&E) brands are faced with unprecedented opportunitiesto reimagine costly and complex production workloads, to predict the success of new scripts or outlines, and to deliver immersive entertainment in novel formats like virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse. Meanwhile, the boundaries between entertainment formatsfrom gaming to movies and backare blurring, as new alliances form across industries, and hardware innovations like smart glasses and autonomous vehicles make media as ubiquitous as air.At the same time, media and entertainment brands are facing competitive threats. They must reinvent their business models and identify new revenue streams in a more fragmented and complex consumer landscape. They must keep up with advances in hardware and networking, while building an IT infrastructure to support AI and related technologies. Digital media standards will need to evolve to ensure interoperability and seamless experiences, while companies search for the right balance between human and machine, and protect their intellectual property and data.DOWNLOAD THE REPORTThis report examines the key technology shifts transforming todays media and entertainment industry and explores their business implications. Based on in-depth interviews with media and entertainment executives, startup founders, industry analysts, and experts, the report outlines the challenges and opportunities that tech-savvy business leaders will find ahead.Download the full report.This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

AirPods Pro 3 are coming soon. Here are what the latest rumors tell you to expect and if they're worth waiting for.AirPods Pro 2 are soon going to be outdatedThe original AirPods Pro popped into our ears on October 30, 2019. It was in 2022 when the first upgrade arrived with better audio, improved ANC, and Find My.A small revision happened a year after that in 2023 when Apple finally ditched the Lighting port for USB-C and added lossless audio for Vision Pro users. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Apple could be updating the TrueDepth Camera in the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with a reconfiguration rumored to make the size of it and the Dynamic Island much smaller.Dynamic Island on an iPhone hides the TrueDepth cameraThe front-facing camera on the iPhone is actually multiple elements in a row, which led to the wide design of the notch and the Dynamic Island. However, in a continuing bid to shrink down its hardware, Apple is apparently planning something new for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.In a Thursday Weibo post by serial leaker "Digital Chat Station," it is claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a "metal meta-lens." It is a component described as integrating both the receiver and transmitter required for Face ID depth mapping, so it uses one smaller aperture instead of two. Rumor Score: Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

On March 12th, the United States is set to introduce a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum entering the country. The move, announced by President Trump this week, is one of several tariff measures floated by the new administration in the past month, including pending reciprocal tariffs on countries that charge duties on U.S. imports, and ultimately delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico.Archinect has already reported on the potential impact of tariffs on construction spending and construction costs. Given the likelihood that tariffs will form a significant part of U.S. trade policy throughout the next four years, it is therefore worthwhile for architects to investigate how higher prices for imported materials, whether lumber from Canada or steel from China, will be absorbed into the budgets of ongoing construction projects.Specifically, architects performing the role of contract administrator between the client and contractor may encounter a situation where tariffs are imposed on ...

The latest edition of Architizer: The Worlds Best Architecture a stunning, hardbound book celebrating the most inspiring contemporary architecture from around the globe is now available. Order your copy today.It is easy to forget that architecture, or more accurately, construction, is an extraction industry. Every city skyline, every development, every concrete slab is a subtraction from somewhere else. Be it sand dredged from riverbeds, forests cleared for timber or ore mined from the earth.For most of our history, these processes were self-regulating. A village could only quarry as much stone as its laborers could haul; a timber-framed house could only be built if there were trees to fell. However, as industrialization untethered material from place, the balance shifted. The cost of transporting goods fell, the appetite for resources grew and suddenly, construction was no longer restricted by the availability of materials.Since then, wasteful construction practices, carbon-heavy supply chains and a reliance on materials that deplete faster than we can regenerate them (if indeed we can at all) have remained. The world is running out of sand, yet concrete production continues to devour it. The cost of shipping timber has soared, yet forests are still being cleared at an unsustainable rate. The energy used to produce steel and glass makes them some of the most carbon-intensive materials on the planet, yet towers of both rise in cities that claim to be sustainable.Thankfully, architecture endeavors to correct itself when excess becomes unsustainable. As raw materials become more expensive, land scarcer and environmental limits become more pressing, the most interesting work today is not that which flaunts abundance but its opposite. Faced with so many contradictions, architects are designing with restraint, using fewer resources, repurposing what already exists and questioning whether buildings need to be built at all. Where past generations reached for high-tech solutions, todays architects are turning to materials and techniques that are hyper-local, low-energy and even centuries old. The following ten examples are pragmatic responses to an industry being forced to do more with less.FreebooterBy GG-loop, Amsterdam, NetherlandsPhotos by Francisco Nogueira and Michael SieberIn an industry accustomed to material excess, Freebooter strips construction down to its essentials. Prefabricated timber modules reduce waste and speed up assembly, while moveable wooden slats reminiscent of the sails of Dutch ships provide passive climate control. Designed with near-total material efficiency, Freebooter is a model for how prefabrication and biomimicry can work in tandem to create sustainable, low-impact architecture.Tile HouseBy the bloom architects, VietnamPhotos by Hiroyuki OkiMany cities in Vietnam favor new and expensive glass and steel. However, Tile House shows that the answer to sustainable construction may lie in rethinking what is already available. Terracotta roof tiles, salvaged from the original site building, are arranged into a breathable skin to reduce heat gain and improve airflow, eliminating the need for mechanical cooling. This architecture is one of adaptation rather than new production, proving that waste not want not is as good a practice in architecture as any other.54 Social HousingBy Fortuny-Alventosa Morell Arquitectes, Inca, SpainPhotographs by Jose HeviaSocial housing is often a case study in material scarcity and cost saving. Here, however, that limitation is turned into an asset. Prefabrication reduces construction waste, while the terracotta faades and deeply recessed balconies regulate temperature naturally. The project is a rebuttal to the notion that affordability and sustainability are incompatible. Efficiency of both space and material can result in housing that is both livable and resource-conscious.Madwaleni River LodgeBy Luxury Frontiers, KZN, South AfricaBuilding in remote, ecologically sensitive regions requires an entirely different approach. Importing materials is ecologically and financially costly. Madwaleni River Lodge is built using what is at hand. Raised on stilts to minimize land disturbance, the lodge employs locally sourced thatch and timber while embracing traditional construction methods that require little energy or infrastructure. It demonstrates that keeping things simple can yield incredible results.Two Paper HousesBY LUO studio, Zhengzhou, ChinaPopular Choice Winner, Sustainable Interior Project, 12th Annual A+AwardsPhotos by Jin Weiqi and Luo YujieIf scarcity forces innovation, then paper one of constructions most overlooked materials is a fitting experiment in doing more with less. Designed as an exhibition space, this project by LUO Studio transforms discarded waste paper tubes into a lightweight, modular framework. The tubes, sourced from packaging production, form a self-supporting load-bearing system. The structure is assembled with minimal additional resources, reinforcing the idea that sustainability is as much about rethinking waste as it is about reducing consumption. From the exhibition, the team involved is keen to implement the learning into future housing construction.The Bull @ Zab e Lee Cooking SchoolBy Chiangmai Life Architects, Chiang Mai, ThailandPhotos by Alberto Cosi, CLABamboos reputation as a sustainable material is well established, but in this day and age, few projects explore its full potential as a primary structure. Here, bent bamboo poles form a sweeping, vaulted roof. Using only locally sourced bamboo, earth, and lime plaster, the cook school highlights how to design without dependence on energy-intensive materials.Project Plum GroveBy School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongRather than demolishing an abandoned Hakka village, Project Plum Grove restores and reinforces what remains. Stone and timber are salvaged from collapsed structures, while polycarbonate panels provide insulation without obscuring history. Instead of replacing vernacular architecture with modern materials, the project embraces repair as a design philosophy. Sometimes, the most sensible solution is simply to leave things standing.Prepared Rehmannia Root Crafts Exhibition HallBy LUO studio, Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo, ChinaJury Winner, Cultural & Expo Centers, 12th Annual A+AwardsPhotos by Jin WeiqiIn regions where industrial materials are costly or impractical, architecture often returns to what is readily available. The Prepared Rehmannia Root Crafts Exhibition Hall does exactly that, using locally sourced timber and brick to reduce transportation emissions and material waste. Its circular timber structure, inspired by traditional drying racks, relies on resource-efficient joinery rather than energy-intensive steel reinforcements. The red bricks, fired in nearby kilns that have operated for generations, integrate the project into its surroundings without introducing high-carbon materials.Enso House IIBy HW Studio, San Miguel de Allende, MexicoPhotos by Cesar BejarWhen resources are scarce, architecture adapts. Enso House II is built almost entirely from locally quarried stone, chosen not for aesthetics, which are undoubtedly fantastic, but because transporting materials was neither practical nor sustainable. The stones thermal mass stabilizes temperatures, eliminating the need for mechanical cooling, while carefully placed openings control airflow and light. The house is defined not by what was added but by what was left out. Free from ornament or excess, it stands as a response to material constraints and architectural restraint.Hause for MarebitoBy VUILD, Toyama, JapanPhotos by Takumi OtaJapans forests are abundant, yet in some places under-utilized, with local timber often bypassed in favor of imported materials. Hause for Marebito addresses this imbalance by integrating digital fabrication into rural forestry, allowing large-diameter trees to be processed into architectural elements within their own region. Built using locally sourced timber and precision-milled without nails or heavy machinery, the house revives traditional Gassho-zukuri construction through interlocking joinery and lightweight modular parts. Designed as a crowdfunded co-ownership model, it challenges conventional ideas of home ownership while tackling resource inefficiency and depopulation. In areas where both land and materials are often wasted, this project reframes scarcity as an opportunity for self-sufficiency.The latest edition of Architizer: The Worlds Best Architecture a stunning, hardbound book celebrating the most inspiring contemporary architecture from around the globe is now available. Order your copy today.The post The Architecture of Scarcity: 10 Material-Saving Projects That Prove Less Is More appeared first on Journal.

In photography, chaos doesnt have to mean clutter or confusion. Instead, it can represent the raw energy, movement, and unpredictable beauty of a scene. Embracing chaos in your images can create dynamic compositions that captivate viewers and evoke emotion. Heres how to find the beauty in disorder while maintaining artistic control.Recognizing chaos as an opportunityChaos often arises in everyday situationsbustling markets, crowded streets, or turbulent weather. The key to capturing its beauty lies in viewing it as an opportunity to showcase life in its rawest form. Observe before shooting: Before pressing the shutter, take a moment to study the scene. Identify elements that stand outwhether its contrasting movements, vibrant colors, or intersecting lines. Chaos often has patterns hidden within it, waiting to be uncovered.Focus on storytelling: A chaotic scene can tell multiple stories at once. Instead of overwhelming the viewer, guide their attention to one central narrative by emphasizing a focal point. This could be a single subject standing out against the disorder or a specific action within the scene. Techniques for capturing controlled chaosWhen photographing chaos, the challenge is to balance the unpredictability of the scene with intentional composition and technique.Framing for order: Use natural frames like windows, arches, or branches to contain chaotic elements. Framing adds structure to your shot, making it easier for viewers to focus on your subject without losing the energy of the surrounding scene.Layering elements: Create depth in chaotic environments by layering elements in the foreground, midground, and background. For example, in a busy market, capture a vendor in the foreground, customers in the midground, and colorful stalls in the background. Layering helps organize chaos while retaining its vibrancy.Using leading lines: Look for leading lineslike a row of cars, a path through a crowd, or the curve of a buildingto guide the viewers eye through the chaos. These lines add structure and make the composition more intentional. Light and chaosLighting plays a significant role in highlighting and taming chaotic scenes. Proper use of light can emphasize key elements or create harmony amidst the disorder.Spotlighting a subject: Use directional light to isolate your subject within the chaos. For instance, sunlight streaming through a window onto a subjects face can draw attention to them even in a bustling environment.Silhouettes and shadows: In chaotic scenes, silhouettes and shadows can add drama and simplicity. Backlit subjects create stark contrasts, allowing the viewer to focus on the outline rather than the details. Harnessing overcast days: Overcast light diffuses evenly, reducing harsh shadows and highlighting subtle details. This lighting is particularly effective for capturing chaos in busy outdoor settings, where strong sunlight might create distracting contrasts.The role of color in chaotic scenesIn chaotic scenes, color can either amplify or tame the visual noise. Use it strategically to create balance or enhance the disorder. Focus on one dominant color: Amid the chaos, find and emphasize one dominant color to create cohesion. For example, in a scene filled with vibrant hues, isolate a single red umbrella to act as the anchor for the composition.Contrast for impact: Use contrasting colors to highlight subjects or create separation between elements. A person in a bright yellow coat standing amidst a sea of dark suits can serve as the perfect focal point in a chaotic urban setting. Practical tips for shooting chaosHere are some advanced tips to help you excel at capturing the beauty of chaos:Shutter speed choices: Use a slower shutter speed to blur movement and create a sense of motion, or a fast shutter speed to freeze action and emphasize detail within the chaos.Shoot in burst mode: Chaotic scenes change quickly. Use burst mode to capture multiple frames in rapid succession, increasing your chances of nailing the perfect moment.Change your perspective: Explore unconventional angles, like shooting from above or crouching low, to provide a fresh take on a chaotic environment. Finding the beauty in disorderEmbracing chaos in photography is about learning to see patterns, stories, and opportunities in what might initially feel overwhelming. With the right techniques and a thoughtful approach, you can transform disorder into dynamic, powerful images that leave a lasting impression. Take your time to observe, experiment with composition, and let the energy of the scene guide your creativity.Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.The post Embracing the beauty of chaos in photography appeared first on 500px.

Developer Rebellion has released a new trailer for upcoming survival investigative game Atomfall. The trailer showcases some of the games features, while also giving us a look at its world and some of the characters players will get to interact with. Check out the trailer below.The trailer emphasises the investigative aspects of Atomfall quite a bit, prompting players to investigate the games mysteries by searching, scavenging, and uncovering secrets. The trailer emphasises the danger players will face against the titles various enemy factions.Survival is also core part of Atomfall, of course, and players will have to sneak their way around various enemies while also making sure that they get enough supplies to get by.Earlier this week, lead designer Ben Fisher revealed that Atomfall had to go through several iterations during development before the studio was able to land on something it was happy with. Fisher spoke about how plans made before development dont always work, and that the developers had to work in layers to experiment and iterate.In the case of Atomfall, we were doing something so experimental in so many different ways., said Fisher in an interview. We had to work in layers instead and kind of iterate the game over time.Fisher also spoke about the level of stress experienced by the studio when it came to things not going as planned during development. This is because, while plans can be made, the realities of game development will often need these plans to be drastically altered.So youd have to approach any piece of design, any piece of content, bearing in mind that you dont know if thats the right answer, he said. Its your best guess so far, but youll only find out once its actually in context. You absolutely have to leave room for iteration. But you also need to do the work in a way that allows you to iterate. That doesnt come for free.In another interview from January, art director Ryan Greene spoke about how investigation would play a big role in Atomfall. He also revealed that the game doesnt even have a standard quest system. Players are instead expected to set out into the world and figure out their own leads for investigations.Right from the outset, you can do whatever you want. You can follow whatever lines of investigation that you want. Now, given that youll be poorly equipped, some choices may lead to bad results, said Greene.Greene also emphasised the freedom that players would have in Atomfall. Among other things, players can make friends with various NPCs by bartering with traders or making smart choices. On the other hand, players are also free to kill just about anyone while still being able to complete the games story.Atomfall is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on March 27. It is also available for pre-order. For more details, check out our coverage of the Deluxe Edition that also gives players 3 days of advanced access to the title.

While co-op action RPG Elden Ring: Nightreign is going to focus on 3-player multiplayer, developer FromSoftware has revealed that solo play or a two-player mode might be something it thinks about down the line. Director Junya Ishizaki revealed in an interview with Ungeek that currently, two friends can queue up to play with a random third partner.In terms of a dual queue system, there is one in place, said Ishizaki. You can play with, for example, your friend and another random person throughout the entire game. So theres definitely no issue there.Ishiziaki did go on to say that, while the studio is considering a way for players that prefer solo play or even just two friends that want to play together to do so without any extra party members, it is not something that will be available in Elden Ring: Nightreign at launch.Regarding having just two players, not three players or solo, it is something we are considering, but it is currently not in the game at the moment, he said.Ishizaki has also previously revealed that the world map in Elden Ring: Nightreign can go through some large-scale changes depending on the situation. This means that players might end up seeing the terrain to procedurally change into a volcano or even a full-on swamp.We wanted the map itself to be a giant dungeon, so players have the chance to traverse and explore a different way every time they play, said Ishizaki earlier this week. You have to choose the boss you want to face at the end of the third day.This seems to have come from the intent of wanting players to treat the whole world as a giant dungeon, while also giving players the best tools possible to tackle the games various challenges in the ways they would find preferable.The May 30 release date for Elden Ring: Nightreign was revealed earlier this week with a trailer, which you can check out here. The game will be coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Pre-orders for the co-op title are also live.Alongside the release date, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have also detailed the Collectors Edition for the game, which will feature a SteelBook, a hardcover art book, and a 25 cm statue of the Wylder Nightfarer, among other things.Elden Ring: Nightreign was first unveiled back in December 2024 during The Game Awards. The standalone title will have an emphasis on co-op action, and will give players new tools to take on bosses. The core gameplay, however, will be similar to what we got to experience in the seminal Elden Ring.Interestingly, Nightreign will also feature boss fights from other games in the FromSoftware catalogue. Fans have even spotted The Nameless King and Stormdrake from Dark Souls 3, and even a boss that bears a resemblance to Dark Souls Centipede Demon.If youre interested in checking out Elden Ring: Nightreign before its out, you might want to check out the network tests that will be kicking off tomorrow.